How to Care for a Fresh Ham Roast

Brine a fresh ham for extra flavor and moist meat.

Fresh ham is the same cut of meat used for cured ham. It's the raw hind leg. Think of it as a big pork roast rather than as a ham. The cooking method doesn't vary much from that of a pork roast. It takes longer to cook because it is a big roast, from 10 to 15 lbs. Keep refrigerated in the coldest part of the refrigerator. If the fresh ham is frozen, defrost it before baking or roasting. Brining the fresh ham roast gives it extra flavor and tenderness.

Things You'll Need

• Large cooking pot
• 1/2 gallon water
• 1/2 gallon plus 1 cup apple juice
• 1 cup salt
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 5 cinnamon sticks plus 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup whole cloves plus 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
• Roasting pan
• Pastry brush
• Instant-read meat thermometer

Instructions

1. Combine 1/2 gallon water with 1/2 gallon apple juice, 1 cup salt, 1 cup brown sugar, four or five good-sized cinnamon sticks -- 5 to 6 inches long -- and 1/4 cup of whole cloves. Put the ingredients in a large cooking pot and bring to a boil.

2. Lower the heat and simmer the mixture for 12 to 15 minutes. Turn off the heat. When the brine is room temperature put it in the refrigerator overnight. It should be very cold.

3. Add the ham to the cooking pot and cold brine. Submerge the ham completely. If the pot isn't big enough, use an extra large size zip lock bag. Brine the ham for at least 24 hours up to two days.

4. Remove the ham from the brine two hours before you start roasting. Throw out the brine. Pat the ham dry.

5. Combine 1 cup of apple juice with 1/4 tsp each of ground cloves and cinnamon.

6. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Put the ham into a roasting pan and the pan into the hot oven. Roast for 10 minutes per pound. For example a 12 lb. fresh ham will take two hours to cook. Baste with the apple juice mixture every 30 minutes.

7. Insert an instant-read meat thermometer into the ham without touching the bone. It should read 160 degrees F when the ham is cooked. When it does, remove the ham from the oven and let it rest for up to 30 minutes before carving.

Tips & Warnings

• Make pan gravy with the drippings in the pan by adding 1 tbsp. of cornstarch for every 2 cups of drippings. Mix the cornstarch with 2 tbsp. of water to form a paste. Whisk the paste into the pan drippings over medium heat. As soon as the mixture boils it will thicken, take it off the heat.

• Modern pork doesn't have the same problems with parasites as it used to, but it's still a good idea to make sure it's thoroughly cooked.

References

• "The Good Housekeeping Cookbook"; Zoe Coulson; 1973
• Food Network; Fresh Ham; Paula Deen